Ultrablonde is not really “ultra blond.” As described above, Brasserie d’Ecaussinnes’ Ultra line is based on the once defunct “Ultra” namesake beer, and this is simply their “blonde” which, lucky for us, turns out to be not simply a Belgian blonde ale but a well-crafted Tripel. It pours a slightly hazy deep straw color and is concealed by a huge cottony head that begins massive in size, fading to a respectable covering and leaving tons of sea foa...

To commemorate their twenty-year history, Grand Teton’s brewers chose four of their year-round beers to strengthen and enhance. Their Bitch Creek ESB is a massively flavorful beer that was already pushing the limits when first brewed in 2003—and the Cellar Reserve version, known as XX Bitch Creek Double ESB, is the final release in their 2008 XX series. We had our eyes on this beer when we first got wind of it, and we’ve worked with Grand Teton b...

Immensely sweet on the nose, look for impressions of cherry preserves amidst very bold notes of coriander, supplemented by dark fruits and some clove-spice character from the Belgian yeast. Fairly spicy notes of white pepper blended with honey and increasing alcohol surface as it warms. There’s a subtle mead-like quality owing to the honey. On the palate, it’s certainly sweet, but not nearly as much as expected based on the nose. It actually ends...

König Pilsener is a truly authentic German Pilsener that was first sold by that name in 1911. For nearly a century, beer lovers worldwide have been enjoying this approachable, easy-drinking brew. We’re proud to bring you this world class example of the style. Expect a pale straw color topped by a brilliant white frothy head. Look for a crisp, clean, classic pilsner aroma showcasing notes of grassy, lemony hops, fresh-brewed grains, a slight kiss ...

This beer has scored numerous awards for Snake River Brewing. Winner of the World Beer Cup Gold in 1996 and GABF Silver Medals in 1995 and 1996, among others, the beer most recently took home a Gold Medal at the 2008 World Beer Cup. Winning Gold in 1996 and in 2008 is quite remarkable—in the 12 years between, the number of beers entered into this esteemed competition has swelled to thousands of contenders, and people’s tastes change over time (co...

Seven, count ‘em, seven different malts and three different hop varieties come together to produce the beer before you. We really love this stout! Look for a very deep dark hue, creamy head, and a nice roasted nose and rich, full flavor. The nose offers so much, from sweetened coffee to roasted barley to chocolaty marshmallow to molasses, black licorice, carob and brown sugar. This full-bodied, well-balanced stout is slightly sweet with a powerfu...

With its pale-to-medium straw color, if this Grand Cru was put next to a glass of a dark beer like this month's Zonker Stout, and you asked people which one they thought was 'stronger,' most beer novices will pick the darker beer. Wrong. It's this one, with 8% ABV, which we'll just give you the heads up on now: it's well hidden; sip this one slowly. This beer actually has a mead-like quality on the nose, with notes of fermented honey. Also expect...

The brewers at MBC manage to brew a balanced, hop aggressive India Pale Ale by using hefty amounts of three malt varieties and a bit of wheat for enhanced body and head retention. Expect massive hoppiness on the nose, with notes of resinous pine, grapefruit rind and mint. This is no thin hop bomb, but an IPA backed by the full faith and credit of US malts. Notes of pine abound, grounded by rich, sweet and grain-heavy maltiness. You can feel the h...